Mayors Fear For Future Of Canterbury Rural HospitalsTwo Canterbury mayors are still waiting for answers on the future of two rural hospitals which are in desperate need for maintenance. Waikari and Oxford hospitals offer residential, respite, and end-of-life care to the rural community in North Canterbury. It's been six months since Te Whatu Ora Health NZ officials said they looked forward to ''getting back round the table'' with the mayors to discuss the future of the hospitals. There are 12 people in the Waikari and Oxford hospitals receiving a mix of respite care, hospital-level aged residential care and end-of-life care, Hamilton said. ''Some rural hospitals no longer provide acute care, with the focus shifting to community services for elderly people, including long-term residential care, respite care, and end-of-life care.''